Posts Tagged ‘Homestead’
Morning walk in Munhall
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One was out and about quite early, recently. My uncharacteristic scuttling in the morning was in response to the ferocious nature of recent afternoon heat which the Pittsburgh metro has been experiencing.
The car was ensconced at the parking lot of the Homestead Pump House, which allows one egress to the Great Allegheny Passage trail. My time was limited, but about two hours had been budgeted away, to get some exercise. A church building caught my eye, one which is apparently now the home a local ad agency. How about that?
It was fairly early, but it was already quite warm and humid. Regardless, it’s not like I have a choice as to walking about constantly, as I have to keep on keeping on and keep my internally lubricated parts lubricated.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This was a frustrating morning, photographically speaking. I kept on just missing things, like the CSX train crossing the Monongahela River in the shot above. I’ve been trying to capture this particular photo for a while, and it just keeps on slipping through my fingers. If I had been there five minutes earlier…
Along the way, I crossed the invisible border of Homestead and Munhall.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One walked about two miles into the trail. The Whitaker Flyover bridge was my turnaround point, but I lingered there for an about twenty minutes hoping to see a Norfolk Southern train, or any train, thunder through. Like everything else on this particular day, just as I was leaving the trail a train came through. Day late, dollar short, huh?
Grrr. Some days you cant win for all the losing.
Back tomorrow.
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Solus ambulo
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After a cool experience with the Wings of Victory historic plane tour about 20 miles away, described in prior posts, I drove from Pittsburgh’s West Mifflin section over to the waterfront section of Homestead to execute one of my constitutional walks.
A section of the Great Allegheny Passage trail coils through here, and there’s a local chunk of it which I hadn’t walked yet. Distant, the section I normally frequent is landmarked by the Homestead Pump House, whereas this one is notable for the extant group of soaking stacks from the former Homestead Steel Mill complex.
To see the historical context of these stacks, click here for a Library of Congress page with ‘back in the day’ info and photo.
They’re just for show these days, an architectural curiosity sticking out of the parking lot at a gigantic shopping center complex called ‘The Waterfront.’ Near the Costco and not quite as far as the Sandcastle water park, close to the movie theater multiplex, that’s where you’ll find these.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This was a short walk on what was turning out to be a really warm day, and since there was no tree cover – I was schvitzing heavily. My plan was two miles in and two miles out, and along the way a CSX train came roaring past, so ‘win.’ I had a rail bridge in sight which was my turnaround point and mile marker, although I generally gauge my distance using time.
I’ve started religiously carrying a water bottle on walks, as a note, after my ‘problem’ about a month ago on a different trail.
According to my phone, I walk at 2.3 mph and have a pronounced limp affecting about 20% of stride, associated with my left leg. That’s the one with the smashed toe, broken foot which never healed properly, the sprain prone ankle, the knee that sounds like I’m crushing popcorn in it, and an onset of arthritis through out the entire assembly, so the data is easily interpretable by use of a single phrase.
I’m all ‘effed up.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The aforementioned water park, which is dubbed ‘Sandcastle,’ was quite busy and hundreds of kids were waiting their chance to get shot through a plastic tube, or into a wave pool via an angled ramp.
Above is one of my experiments, wherein 17 different shots were combined as some Yinzer teenager shot through one of the ride/tubes. All 17 were combined into a single shot. The action started at top right and finished bottom left, and that’s the same person you see at every stage.
Back next week with more moaning, and groaning, at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
A real nowhere man
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A very productive constitutional walk, during which I had scuttled out somewhere in the neighborhood of about five to six miles (or – as I call it – a short walk) and then loitered around the Great Allegheny Passage’s ‘Whitaker Flyover’ pedestrian bridge – where the trains just kept on coming – was accomplished and one had reversed course for the walk back to the car.
Saying all that, it was that time of the day which I describe as ‘solar maximum’ and the weather was getting ‘shvitzy.’ I began heading back to the lot where I had parked the Mobile Oppression Platform, adjoining the Homestead Pumphouse site. From there, I’d start the roughly thirty minute drive back to HQ. One last thing, though…
I had planned on making a quick stop to wave the camera around, at this 1900 vintage ‘Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35 (aka the Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge)’ and to commit some photography upon it while on my way. I’ve mentioned this structure before.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Quoting from the post linked to above:
“This span was used as a rail bridge, is some 483 feet long, and is supported by three stout masonry piers. It was built to connect the Carrie Furnace and Edgar Thomson works on the northern shore to the rail network found on the south side of the (Monongahela) river, and it also served as a connection to nearby U.S. Steel plants in Homestead and Clairton, as well as offering ingress for incoming rail shipments of coal and coke, which fueled the various operations.”
Y’know, I hope to never have to rewrite that paragraph.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying that, the methodology I’ve been talking about since moving to Pittsburgh is now entering a different phase. There’s still an infinity of experiences that are novel and still unknown, but I’m also starting to choose certain subjects which I’ve found intriguing and will be returning to explore them a bit more deeply.
To analogize all this in an very, very NYC sort of manner, where I’m at is – ‘I figured out where some a dem subway stations is’s, now’s I’s gotta go ridin on da friggin train to see’n where’s dose mothaflowas go… feel me?’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The photos in this section are roughly from the middle of the bridge. I was walking approximately south to north here, and the approaches of the thing have been cut and demolished on the Carrie Furnace side of the Monongahela River.
This really must have been something to see, ‘back in the day.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Pretty epic views from up here, but this bridge is in an advanced state of decay. I recently had a Tetanus Booster, so I was feeling pretty good about myself right about here, but there’s all sorts of trip hazards and rusted out decking that you can easily get hurt by. Me? I’ve inhabited places like this all my life and know how not to get hurt around this sort of thing.
It’s nothing crazy, but be careful if visiting because medical bills suck.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s a decayed wooden walkway on the outside superstructure of the bridge, which looked just like a Darwin Award waiting to happen. No Bueno.
The section I was walking on was concrete and steel, and still pretty solid. Heavily rusted steel that you could probably punch a hole in with a screwdriver (or just your finger) was everywhere, but it’s still steel.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
Abandoned Bridge
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35, aka the Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge, was built in 1900 and has been out of service for some 40 years. Of late, it has been designated as part of the Carrie Furnace based ‘Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.’ There’s talk of Allegheny County rehabilitating this span over the Monongahela River for usage by vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. It connects the Pittsburgh exurbs of Whitaker/West Homestead on the southern bank of the river with the northern connection going to the community of Rankin.
While walking along the Great Allegheny Passage, one might notice a rather prominent fence hole – as a humble narrator did – which leads up to the span. As a note, the bridge is in a deleterious condition, and is quite hazardous. If you’re not versed in ‘urbex,’ or know how to gauge whether or not the next the step you take in a ruined industrial space is either the right one, or the one which sends you to either a hospital or an undertaker… I’d avoid this place.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
To amplify the caution, there’s several spots where the deck of the thing has deteriorated and the metal decking is nothing more than layers of rust. There’s also quite a number of trip hazards and a few instances where you’re looking through some rusted out hole at the Monongahela River, which is flowing by some fifty feet below you. You never want to have to call 911 for help, even if you could, as that would be an extremely embarrassing situation.
This span was used as a rail bridge, some 483 feet long, and is supported by three stout masonry piers. It was built to connect the Carrie Furnace and Edgar Thomson works on the northern shore to the rail network found on the south side of the river, and it also served as a connection to other nearby U.S. Steel plants in Homestead and Clairton, as well as offering ingress to the incoming rail shipments of coal and coke which fueled the various operations.
There’s lot of sharp edges, drops, and ways to get hurt up here. Also, technically speaking – I was trespassing – but there ain’t exactly a bunch of cops waiting for you up here. Still – it’s a nice spot for photos, and as I kind of know what to look out for, and am also notoriously cautious…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying all that, I was still engaged in my long walk from Duquesne to Homestead along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail. I still had a couple of miles to go before meeting up with a friend at a local brewery for a couple of pints of beer and a session of grousing about the state of the world on that particular week.
The GAP trail reenters the street grid shortly after rounding around the Homestead Pump House historic site, and so did I. One scuttled forward. Ever scuttling, that’s me, God’s lonely man with a camera.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
Love or money
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Man oh man, is it frustrating when you’re walking along rail tracks and the only trains you see are idle. The railfan crowd sports fancy little radios which allow them to predict the comings and goings, but a humble narrator doesn’t have nor does he want one of those things. That is, unless one of you reading this wants to get rid of one of those units, in which case – contact me and I’ll pay for shipping.
After proceeding along the Great Allegheny or GAP trail from Duquesne, one had finally scuttled into throwing distance of Homestead. Wasn’t quite there yet, still had about three miles of walking to get through. This was the ‘slog’ part of the walk – clear and cloudless skies, temperatures in the low 80’s, and the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself was irradiating me in the punishing manner of ‘Sol Invictus.’ Shvitz!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The only train witnessed was just sitting there, and there wasn’t even a locomotive attached to it, so these rail cars were basically in a parking lot. No fun. As the title of this post suggests… not for love or money did I get what I was hoping to shoot on this walk. Luckily, the purpose of this scuttle was ultimately about stretching my legs and ‘unclicking’ my back while burning out a few miles in the name of exercise. There would be beer and good conversation at the end of the effort, but right about this point a humble narrator was frustrated and uncomfortably warm. I kept on thinking about that sound Lucille Ball would make after saying ‘Ricky.’
I’ve started carrying a water bottle with me, which is something I never did back in NYC. Back home, you were never more than a 15 minute walk from a bodega or convenience store. Here, you’re on your own and need to be prepared for circumstance.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Our Lady of the Pentacle has pointed out to me that I still refer to NYC as ‘home,’ despite the fact that I haven’t dwelt there or been within the confines of the 5 Boroughs at all since December of last year. My response is “We live in Pittsburgh, but New York will always be my Home.”
I’m still very much in touch with things back home, by the way. Still keeping an eye on the Creek, and Astoria, and watching from afar. There’s a few people whose phones still ring when something concerning happens. Things seem to be going fairly poor for ‘home’ at the moment, it seems, and every bit of news I receive about the latest developments reaffirm the decision to ‘get the hell out of Dodge’ as having been the right move.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 